


Roommates

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Loki x Reader Series [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Loki being Loki, Slow Burn, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21570475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: Bringing Loki back to Earth wasn’t Thor’s best decision and Tony Stark wants nothing to do with the God of Mischief.  With no other options, Thor finds a classified ad looking for a roommate.  You had no clue what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to let Loki live in your spare bedroom, but the chemistry between the two of you in undeniable.  Is Loki capable of adapting to life on Earth, and can he ever be content to be with a mortal woman from Midgard?
Relationships: Loki x Reader
Series: Loki x Reader Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1553728
Comments: 16
Kudos: 79





	Roommates

**Loki Laufeyson x Reader**

**Summary** – Bringing Loki back to Earth wasn’t Thor’s best decision and Tony Stark wants nothing to do with the God of Mischief. With no other options, Thor finds a classified ad looking for a roommate. You had no clue what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to let Loki live in your spare bedroom, but the chemistry between the two of you in undeniable. Is Loki capable of adapting to life on Earth, and can he ever be content to be with a mortal woman from Midgard?

**Warnings** – Fluff, Angst, a bit of self-loathing…probably a curse word or two

**Word Count** – 16K

**Notes **\- Parts 1 - 11 of 11

** _**Updated October 18, 2019**_ **

_ ** [Masterlist](https://beccaanne814.tumblr.com/post/174989754188/masterlist) ** _

[[MORE]]

"What is this?" Loki asked as Thor pushed an electronic device toward him.

"An opportunity," Thor said cryptically.

Loki read the advertisement and then looked back up at his brother with a smirk on his face. "Stark wants me gone, doesn't he?"

Thor hemmed and hawed for a moment before finally letting out a long breath. "Yes."

Loki shrugged and looked back down at the device before him. "And where exactly am I supposed to get the money to pay for this?" When Thor didn't answer, Loki nodded in understanding. "He's willing to pay to get me out from under his roof."

"Loki," Thor said on an exasperated sigh. "My friends. . ."

"Your friends," Loki repeated with a snap to his voice. He stopped himself and took a few breaths to calm his temper. "Your friends have their reasons, but I won't take their charity." He gave Thor a chastising look. "We are Gods, brother."

"Not anymore."

Loki considered Thor's words. Was he right? Were they nothing more than lowly Midgardians now that Asgard had been destroyed? Did their birthright mean nothing to these petty humans?

"Then what would you have me do?"

"Now you want my guidance?" Thor shook his head and laughed sardonically. 

Loki gave him a hard look. "I warned you not to bring me to Earth."

"It'll be fine, brother," Thor assured him. "Once you prove to everyone that you mean the people of Earth no harm, I'm positive that all will be forgiven."

One of Loki's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "You're a fool."

Thor's face broke into a huge grin. "So, what do you say? Should we go meet this YN?"

Loki had reluctantly agreed after Thor had showed him the rest of the pictures. The house was right by the river and had an entire wall of windows in the main living area. He'd have to share what the Midgardians referred to as a bathroom with his potential roommate, but at least he'd have his own room to retire to if he wanted to be alone.

YN had answered the door as though she'd been expecting them, and it was only then that Loki realized Thor had already contacted the young woman before he'd broached the topic with him. Stark must have truly wanted him gone for Thor to act so deceivingly. Loki was secretly proud of his brother for how well he'd played his hand. Maybe there was hope for his brother after all.

YN looked at the two large men standing on the threshold, and after a few moments her smile began to fade. She'd thought the guy had been pulling her leg when he'd told her his name was Thor, but the rumor mill in town had been abuzz with talk of the Asgardian god bringing what was left of his people to earth. Still, she hadn't expected the actual God of Thunder to show up on her door, and she definitely hadn't been expecting him.

While she'd been waiting for her potential roommate to arrive, she'd thought about the possibility of living with an alien. Sure, Asgardians looked like humans, but they were supposed to be centuries old. Would she even have anything any common with someone that had been alive for hundreds of years? In all her musings, she'd never once considered that it wouldn't be an Asgardian peasant that Thor was trying to find a home for, but his deranged brother. Or adopted brother, as he was so fond of reminding people.

"Hello," she finally squeaked out.

"YN, I presume," Thor said with a bright smile. "I'm Thor—we spoke on the telephone—and this is my brother, Loki."

She looked from one man to the other for a few moments before her gaze landed back on the bulky blond. "Will you be the one sharing the house with me?"

"Oh, no," Thor said as he clapped Loki on the back. "Loki here is the one that needs a place to stay."

"Why can't he stay at the secret compound down the road?" YN blurted out before she could stop herself.

Thor's eyes narrowed. "There is no secret compound. . ."

She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a hard look.

"It seems as though I'm not welcome in their little clubhouse," Loki interjected as he gave YN a quick once-over. "But then again, you don't seem too excited about the prospect of me living here, either."

"I wonder why?" YN said as sarcasm all but dripped from her voice.

A gleam of interest sparked in Loki's eyes. Maybe living with this woman wouldn't be as dull as he'd originally thought.

"I can personally promise that Loki will be on his best behavior," Thor assured her as his jovial façade began to crack a little.

"He's a homicidal maniac," YN argued. If Iron Man doesn't feel safe around him, why should I?"

A slow grin spread across Loki's face. She was a feisty one, and he already liked her. That coupled with the amazing view of the river he could see through the windows behind her had him wanting to move in already. "How about a trial basis?"

YN's eyes shifted back to Loki. She tried to read him, but she knew it was a waste of time. He was an expert in deceit, so she was sure he was only showing her exactly what he wanted her to see. "One month. If after one month, you so much as kill one of my houseplants—you're out." She paused for a moment. "And you pay the whole year of rent up front—with a security deposit. If you don't last the month, I keep all the money."

"Now, I don't think that's quite fair," Thor began to protest.

Loki cut him off quickly as he extended a hand toward YN. "You've got a deal."

YN looked at his hand and then back up at him. There was something in his eyes she couldn't quite define, but it didn't look sinister. She might be making the biggest mistake of her life, but that much money up front would make a huge dent in the principle on her mortgage loan.

Reaching out she took his hand to shake. She was surprised at the strength—and the warmth—in his long, elegant fingers. A current of electricity coursed through her at his touch, and she instinctively wanted to pull back. Curbing her impulse, she forced herself to keep a straight face as she looked him dead in the eye.

"Welcome home, Loki."

YN had been working for Harper McGill, a small law firm in Esopus, New York, for almost five years, and she was content to be an associate, but hopes of one day being a junior—or senior—partner loomed on the horizon of her life goals. She'd graduated in the top ten percent of her class, but she realized that she had to pay her dues like anyone else, so to say that she was shocked at the offer that seemed to come out of the blue was an understatement.

"I beg your pardon?" YN asked her boss, Sandra—the Harper of Harper McGill.

"I'm offering you the position of junior partner," Sandra repeated with a smile on her her. "Your work at Harper McGill has been exemplary, and we're looking to expand the practice. Bob and I feel like you're the best associate to head it up."

"Wow," YN muttered—still a little shocked at this sudden turn of events. "I wasn't aware that you and Mr. McGill were looking to expand. I'm honored that you thought of me, and obviously, I'm grateful for the opportunity."

"There will be a substantial raise with this promotion, of course," Sandra said as she steepled her fingers. A chagrined look came over her face. "There's just one small, insignificant detail that needs to be addressed before we can make it official.

Warning bells started to go off in YN's head at the sudden change in Sandra's tone. Before she could ask for clarification, Sandra began speaking again.

"It's your roommate, I'm afraid."

Out of all the possible complications YN thought Sandra could be referring to, Loki was the last one she'd been expecting. "I don't understand."

Sandra let out a deep breath and took off her glasses. "It's just not good for the firm's image. You understand, don't you?"

YN was very well aware of the public outrage that had sparked following the announcement that Thor had brought a group of Asgardian refugees to Earth along with his brother. YN knew that Tony Stark didn't really trust the man that had tried to level New York a few years back, but at least in the press he'd kept his reservations to himself. Thor had testified on his brother's behalf in front of the UN, and once Loki had signed the amended Sokovian Accords, he'd been granted a pardon for his prior crimes. 

Public opinion was split down the middle—one side believed he'd been under Thanos' control and therefore couldn't be held accountable for his actions, but others worried that he would wreak havoc on Earth if given the opportunity. YN was still on the fence when it came to her new roommate. He'd been living with her for a few weeks, but so far, he'd been a complete gentleman and had mostly kept to himself.

"What are you saying?" YN asked as she narrowed her eyes. She had a feeling she knew exactly what Sandra was implying, but she wanted it spelled out for her so there wouldn't be any chance of miscommunication.

Sandra's mouth formed a thin, hard line as she rubbed the spot between her brows with one expertly manicured hand. "Bob and I want to see you succeed, YN. You have a very promising future ahead of you, and we'd hate to see you throw that away for. . ."

Her boss trailed off and YN waited to see if she was going to finish her thought. When it became clear that Sandra wasn't going to elaborate, YN's anger started to build. "I wasn't aware that my personal life was in any way relevant to the work I'm doing here. You are aware that Loki has been pardoned by the UN."

Sandra reached across the desk and took YN's hand. "My dear, please don't take this the wrong way. We're sure he's not as bad as the media portrays, but if it were to get out that one of our associates lives with him. . ." she faltered for a moment as she looked for the right words. ". . .well, it just wouldn't be good PR for us."

YN wanted to snatch her hand away, but she refrained from doing anything rash. Outwardly, she appeared calm and collected—like any good attorney should, but on the inside, she was boiling with rage. She felt no loyalty to Loki, but the fact that her boss was giving her this ridiculous ultimatum—and it was an ultimatum—made her want to jump to her roommate's defense.

"So, let me get this straight," YN said with an even voice that belied her true feelings. "If I find a new roommate, I'll be named a junior partner and put in charge of an expansion of the firm." She paused for a moment to gauge Sandra's reaction. When she saw the relieved look on her boss's face, she knew she was on the right track. "But if I don't, then what?"

Sandra's face hardened again. "If you don't, then Bob and I will have to rethink your future here with Harper McGill."

"You understand, of course, that I'll need a little time to think about this," YN said as she tried to hold back the reins of her temper for a few more minutes. "Finding another roommate on such short notice might take longer than I can manage."

Sandra smiled insipidly "That's why we're offering you the raise, my dear."

Bribe money, YN thought. The raise was nothing more than bribe money for her to get rid of Loki. She wasn't quite sure why it bothered her so much, but it did. It pissed her off that Sandra and Bob would concoct this scheme behind her back, and that they thought she could be bought. It wasn't so much Loki himself, but the principle of the matter. She was sure what they were doing was illegal, but she needed a little time to research case law to make sure.

Realizing that she needed to play her cards just right, she plastered a fake smile on her face. "I understand. Give me until the end of the week and then I'm sure this will all be resolved."

Relief washed over Sandra's face. "I'm so glad to hear that, YN."

YN shook Sandra's hand and let herself out. Too angry to even bother grabbing her coat from her office, she headed straight for the exit and marched to her car. Once she was a few blocks away from the office, she pulled into a gas station parking lot and grabbed her phone. After a few taps of the screen, she heard the line connect and begin to ring.

The sultry voice on the other end seemed surprised to receive her call, but YN had no time to waste. "Call your brother and let him know I need a meeting with Tony Stark—today."

Loki stared down at the phone in his hands. YN had sounded pissed off, but he didn't think her anger had been directed at him. Her message had been short and succinct, and she hadn't bothered elaborating for him before she'd hung up.

Opening the phone app, he tapped on Thor's picture and waited for his brother to answer.

"Hello, brother."

Loki rolled his eyes and pictured the stupid grin that his brother would be sporting at the moment. Since he'd moved in with YN, he hadn't had much to do with Thor or his friends at the Compound a few miles away. He'd enjoyed having his own space separate from his brother and the rest of their people, but now that he'd heard Thor's voice, he realized he might be growing nostalgic for the time they'd spent together as children.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he focused on the reason he'd called in the first place. "YN just phoned. She said she needs a meeting with Stark today." He paused for a moment as he deliberated on whether he should add his own impressions of her call. Deciding that it might sway Thor to act more quickly, he shared what he'd surmised. "She sounded angry—or stressed—it was hard to gauge in such a short conversation. But something's not right."

"If you think it's urgent, then I'll speak to Tony immediately."

"I doubt he'll want me darkening his doorstep. . ."

"We'll come to you,"Thor interrupted. 

"I believe YN is on her way home, so we'll be waiting for you."

Thor disconnected and Loki walked over to the wall of windows that overlooked the river. YN hadn't implied that her need to speak to Stark had anything to do with him, but for some reason, he felt as though that was the case.

When YN walked through the door a few minutes later, he could see the look of guilt on her face. "What is it?"

"Is Thor bringing Tony Stark here?" she asked, completely ignoring his question.

"They should be here momentarily."

"Good," she said with a sigh as she set down her keys and toed off her heels. "We should probably talk before they get here."

Loki's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything as he moved to sit on the couch and waited for her to join him. He could tell she was reluctant to meet his eye as she began her explanation. He listened in silence, but he couldn't hold back his anger by the time she finished.

"Would you like me to kill them?" he asked as his green eyes glowed with rage.

She inhaled sharply and gave him a hard look. "Absolutely not!" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm almost positive what they're doing is illegal, so we'll handle this the right way."

"That's why you want Stark?"

YN nodded her head. "He has the best lawyers. . ."

"And you think he'll help me?"

A mischievous smile spread across her face. "It's either help you or let you move back in with him."

Loki knew she was just fooling herself. Tony Stark couldn't care less what happened to him. Stark would be perfectly fine with letting him live on the streets, but he didn't have the heart to tell YN that—she'd find out soon enough.

He wanted to pretend that he didn't know why any of this was bothering him, but he could only lie to himself for so long. He liked living here by the river with YN. She wasn't judgmental like his brother, or condescending like Stark. She accepted him for who he was—flaws and all—and from her reaction to the ultimatum she'd been given, she seemed to want him to stay as well.

A feeling settled over him and it took him a minute to place it.

Fear.

He was scared.

He'd once told Captain Rogers that he was a man out of time to which the Captain had responded "You're the one who's out of time." Those words had never been more true than they were at this very moment. His time with YN had been peaceful, but it was over. Most of the world thought of him as a monster—and maybe he was—but he'd be damned if he'd let YN lose everything because of him.

With his mind made up, he rose from the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go pack my things."

"The hell you are." She rose and rounded the couch so she could look him in the eye. "We'll get this straightened out, so go sit down. You're not going anywhere. I refuse to be bullied by anyone—especially my holier-than-thou boss."

He was spared the need to respond by the sound of the doorbell. "Your guests have arrived."

She pointed to the couch. "Sit." When she was sure he was going to comply, she made her way to the door.

"Thor said this was urgent," Tony said in lieu of a greeting as he glared in Loki's direction. "What did Rock of Ages do this time?"

"Please come in and have a seat," YN said as she swept her hand toward the living room.

"Hello, YN," Thor said with a huge smile on his face. 

She reined in her anger long enough to smile back at the god. "Hello, Thor. Thank you for coming over so quickly."

Tony took a seat in the armchair by the windows, while YN sat between Thor and Loki on the couch.

"So, my boss has given me an ultimatum," she explained to the billionaire. "Either I take a bribe—a promotion and a raise—for getting rid of Loki, or I'm fired."

Tony sat speechless for a moment, the only indication of his feelings on the matter being one raised eyebrow. "That's highly illegal. Don't you work for a law firm?"

"Yes," she confirmed with a huff. "That's why I asked to meet with you. Can your lawyers do anything to help?"

"I gotta ask," he began as he whipped off his sunglasses and stared her down. "Why don't you just take the bribe? Living with this drama queen has got to be driving you crazy. I'm surprised you've lasted this long."

YN shot a quick look in Loki's direction and was surprised to see the smile on his face. Turning back to Tony, she shook her head. "I was just telling Loki that I won't be bullied. If I'm going to make partner—even junior partner—I want to do it on my own merits, not like this."

"It's the principle of the matter then?" Tony asked as he tried to gauge the situation.

"Yes and no." She took a breath and rubbed the spot between her eyes. "Loki and I get along for the most part. This is completely unfair to him. Not to mention discriminatory."

Tony nodded and rose. "Give me a few minutes."

The three on the couch watched him walk back to the front door and close it behind him.

"You truly believe he's willing to help me," Loki stated in a somewhat shocked tone.

"Not everyone thinks you're a villain," she said softly as she dropped her head.

"Tony will do everything in his power to rectify this situation," Thor interjected with a huge grin. "Just wait."

And they did.

It seemed as though Tony was outside on the phone for an hour when in reality it was less than twenty minutes. But it was a tense twenty minutes where she'd had to come up with small talk topics that would interest two gods from another planet.

"Okay, it's taken care of," Tony announced as he let himself back in.

"What does that mean?" YN asked suspiciously.

"It means you just got a promotion."

YN's face fell. "I thought you were going to fix it so Loki wouldn't have to leave?"

Tony gave her a wink. "I did."

"What did you do, Stark?" Thor asked hesitantly.

"Me? Nothing much. I just bought the law firm and kicked Harper and McGill to the curb."

"You did what?" YN asked as her mouth dropped open.

"Turns out Bob McGill has been losing money on the ponies for a while and he had to put the law firm up as collateral to pay off his gambling debts. I bought the loan from the bank and dissolved the law firm. As of right now, it belongs to me." He paused for a moment and pointed at YN. "And I need someone to run it. You up for it?"

"I could kiss you right now," YN said as she shook her head in astonishment.

He held up his left hand to show off his shiny new wedding band. "A few years ago I wouldn't have stopped you, but I'm a married man. And my wife is kinda scary."

"Why did you do this, Stark?" Loki asked with a suspicious look in his eye.

"You're making an effort," Tony answered solemnly. "I can respect that, even if I still hate you. YN here doesn't deserve to pay for your crimes, and while you could stand to pay a little more, I'd rather see you make things right on your own." He shrugged and his tone turned snarky. "Plus, I couldn't risk you going all homicidal again."

YN gave Loki a pointed look to remind him that murder had been his first thought. 

"You're not wrong," Loki admitted as he stood to face the man he'd once fought. Extending a hand, he waited until Tony took it and gave it a firm shake. "I'm indebted to you—again."

"Put it on the tab." Tony clapped his hands and pointed at Thor. "You ready to go, big guy? Pepper and I have plans this evening and I don't want to be late."

Thor turned to YN. "Thank you for looking after my brother."

She waved him off. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," Thor said as he rose to join Tony. "I'll remember what you did for him today."

YN saw Tony and Thor out and then turned back to Loki. "I can't believe that just happened. As of tomorrow, I'll be running a law firm."

"You shouldn't have gone to all of this trouble for me."

She walked across the room and took his hands in hers. "I meant what I said, Loki. You're not the villain everyone believes you are, and you deserve the chance to make a life here."

Loki could feel his heart softening towards her and he silently cursed himself. He hadn't wanted to grow attached to her, but she slipped past his defenses when he hadn't been looking. It wasn't until he'd faced the prospect of never seeing her again that he'd realized just how much he'd come to rely on her company. At least that's what he told himself since he wasn't ready to admit that he was developing feelings for her.

As Loki put the finishing touches on dinner, he paused for a moment to reflect on how he'd gotten to this point in his life. He'd never been one for sentiment, but there was something about YN that made him want earn her approval. Thor had always believed the best of him, but Thor had grown up thinking he was simply his younger brother. YN had known his true nature before she'd ever met him, and for some reason that mattered to him. The fact that she could unequivocally accept him all the while knowing every horrible thing he'd ever done was astounding.

Since she'd stuck out her neck to save him, he'd slowly begun to let her in. It had started out with small gestures like making her coffee in the morning, but as the weeks wore on, he'd begun to spend more and more time with her. Her new job kept her busy, so he made sure that she never had to worry about anything around the house.

He remembered the first time he'd attempted the laundry. It had been a complete disaster, but she'd simply laughed and showed him the correct way to measure out the soap and choose the settings on the machine. 

Somewhere along the way, he'd become completely domesticated, but he couldn't find it within himself to be bothered about that fact. He loved seeing the smile on YN's face when he handed her a cup of coffee in the morning, or when she walked through the door in the evening and found dinner ready and waiting for her.

Those two years on Asgard while Thor had been off searching for the Infinity Stones had been some of the best times of Loki's life. He'd fooled everyone into believing that he was Odin and he'd had people waiting on him hand and foot. But his life on earth with YN was better than any of the years he'd spent on Asgard. Odin's people had always loved Thor more than him, and they'd never trusted him after his betrayal of the throne. YN believed in second chances and the longer he spent with her, the more he began to believe in them as well.

"I'm home," YN called out as she opened the door. "Something smells amazing."

Loki peeked his head out of the kitchen and gave her a smile. "I made chicken enchiladas."

YN groaned in delight. "Give me a second to change and I'll be right out."

"Take your time. I've still got to set the table."

He turned back to the cabinets and started to get out a few plates, so she took a moment to observe him. He'd tied his hair up in a little bun at the nape of his neck and was wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. To the casual observer, he looked just like any normal guy and no one would ever suspect that he was basically royalty—and a god.

Not wanting to get caught staring, she headed toward her room to change. There was a fresh stack of laundry sitting on the end of her bed, so she quickly put it away before grabbing some leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. After being in a business suit and heels all day, she wanted nothing more than to eat some food she didn't have to cook herself and spend the evening on the couch watching TV with Loki.

By the time she'd returned to the kitchen, Loki had the table set and was dishing out the enchiladas. "What can I do to help?"

"Sit and eat," he ordered. "Everything is already taken care of."

She did as instructed and waited for him to join her. The food was delicious, but he'd been working on his cooking skills the past few weeks. The first night he'd made dinner for her, they'd ended up trashing the whole meal and ordering pizza. Life with Loki wasn't what she'd been expecting, but it was definitely interesting.

She insisted on cleaning up the kitchen, but he refused to let her do it alone. They'd had this argument time and time again, so it was no wonder that they'd developed a rhythm in the kitchen. She would load the dishwasher and wipe down the stove while he washed the oversized pots and pans and cleaned the countertops.

There was comfort in routine, and while YN recognized it for what it was, she wasn't sure he had. Most people complained about being in a rut, but for them it seemed to be working just fine. Loki was still getting used this world and while most people would look down on the menial tasks he performed everyday, they were useful skills that he'd need if he ever decided to branch out on his own.

That thought had her stopping in her tracks. She'd never imagined that Loki might leave one day, but now that the idea had manifested, she couldn't get it out of her head. She'd always assumed that he would only be with her for a short while until Tony got over his initial anger, but now she realized that she didn't want him to go.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her shift in mood.

She shook her head and smiled at him. "Nothing. Just thinking."

His brows furrowed as he gave her a long look. 

"It's nothing," she repeated with a laugh as she smacked him with the dish towel. "Let's get this finished before we miss Grey's Anatomy."

He glanced at the clock and realized she was right. Forgetting her worried look, he went back to scrubbing the pans while she began drying the ones he'd already washed.

When they'd finally settled on the couch, Loki had pulled her legs into his lap and began to rub her feet. This was her favorite moment of the day, but she'd never admit it out loud to anyone. His fingers were long and nimble as they worked out the knots she developed everyday from the painful—yet beautiful—shoes she insisted on wearing. There were times when she wasn't careful with her thoughts and she'd wonder how those hands would feel on other parts of her body. She did her best to keep those musings locked tightly away, but it was becoming harder and harder to ignore fact that she was slowly starting to fall for the God of Mischief.

When a commercial came on, she glanced over at him, but he seemed to be enthralled with advertisement for an upcoming new show. There were times when he seemed so innocent she almost forgot that he was hundreds of years old. They had nothing in common, but somehow their relationship—whatever it was—was working. Would it be so horrible if she fell in love with him?

The commercial ended and the show began again. Resigning herself to the routine they'd developed, she buried her feelings and turned her attention back to the show. There was something to be said for good friends, and she wasn't sure she was ready to risk what they had when she wasn't sure her budding feelings would be returned.

YN was surfing through the channels as Loki sat beside her on the couch reading a book, but she wasn't having any luck finding something to watch. Grey's Anatomy was taking a night off and that was the only decent show on television in the eight o'clock time slot.

Giving up, she switched off the TV and sighed dejectedly. She looked over at Loki, but he seemed to be engrossed in his book. Her day at work had been especially grueling and she needed something to distract her.

Using her toes, she poked Loki's thigh and waited for him to glance over at her. "I'm bored."

He shook his head and chuckled as slipped his bookmark between the pages. Laying the book on the end table beside him he turned and gave her his full attention. "How may I be of service?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she tried to think of something. Finally an idea popped into her head. With a huge smile on her face, she said, "Show me a magic trick."

He narrowed his eyes. "What kind of magic trick?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug.

"Not helpful."

She laughed at the sourpuss expression that had come over his face and gestured wildly with her hand. "Do that thing where you turn into other people. I've heard stories about you doing that, but I've never actually seen it."

He sighed dramatically. "Who would you like me to be?"

Happy that he'd agreed to play along, a huge smile spread across her face. "I don't know. Who are you best at impersonating?"

A wicked grin came over his face as he rose from the couch. "Ready?"

Tucking her legs up under her, she sat up a little straighter and eagerly waited to see who he would become.

A bright shimmer spread over his body and suddenly it wasn't Loki standing before her, but Captain America.

He gave her the Eyebrows of Disappointment. "So, you got detention. You screwed up. You know what you did was wrong. The question is, how are you going to make things right?"

YN began to howl with laughter. "That was perfect. But how on earth did you know about those videos?"

A shimmer enveloped his body and Loki stood before her again with a huge smile on his face. "Thor introduced me to YouTube."

"Remind me to thank him," YN said as she struggled to stop laughing.

"Would you like a turn?" Loki asked as a mischievous twinkle gleamed in his eyes.

"Huh?"

He didn't answer her question, but instead gave her a pointed look and gestured for her to look down at herself. When she glanced down at her legs, she was surprised to see a pair of dark blue hospital scrubs instead of her favorite pajama pants.

"What the. . .?"

At the sound of her voice—which wasn't her voice—she clapped a hand over her mouth. Jumping up from the couch, she ran over to the mirror hanging above the mantle. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Meredith Grey's reflection staring back at her.

"Oh, my God," she said, still amazed to hear Meredith's voice instead of her own. "This is amazing."

"Having fun?" Loki asked as he walked up behind her and met her eyes in the mirror.

"This is so freaky. I love it." She twisted back and forth to get a better look at herself all the while laughing hysterically. 

"I'm glad you approve," he told her with a smile. "Some people aren't as fond of this particular trick as you are."

Her laughter died as she gleaned the true meaning of his comment. "Yeah, well. . ."

He waved away her words as he removed the glamour. She watched as her own reflection replaced that of Meredith's. 

He squeezed her shoulder and went to retrieve his book. "I think I'm going to turn in early tonight."

She knew better than to try to stop him. He'd come a long way since he'd first moved in, but there were times his guilt got the better of him. She'd learned that it was best to give him some space and allow him to decide when he was ready for company again.

"Thank you," she said as he began walking toward his room. 

He turned and gave her a slight bow. "You are quite welcome."

She wanted to say more, but she was unsure of herself. Finally coming to the conclusion that if she didn't say it now, she'd never find another opportunity as perfect as this one, she caught him just as his hand reached for his doorknob. "You know you don't ever have to pretend with me. Right?"

If the room hadn't been as quiet as it was, she wasn't sure she would've been able to hear his softly whispered "I know" before he turned the knob and disappeared into his room. His words warmed her heart, but that wasn't what had drawn her attention. She wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light, or just her own wishful thinking, but for a brief moment, she'd thought she'd seen the hand holding the doorknob turn a very pale shade of blue. It wasn't much, but it was progress.

"I don't know how I got here," YN muttered to herself as she sat up in bed and looked around her bedroom. As hard as she tried, she couldn't remember turning down her bed and crawling beneath the covers the previous night. In fact, she was having a hard time remembering anything about yesterday at all.

What had she done all day?

Yesterday had been Thursday, so she knew she'd gone to work. What case had she been working on?

She thought for a moment and then it all came back to her. The Allen-Huddleston divorce. A brief shudder passed over her as remembered the angry couple that had sat across from one another in the large conference room at the office. How two people who obviously loathed one another had ever thought they were in love enough to have two children baffled her.Their constant bickering throughout the entire process had given her a raging headache and she'd taken the rest of the afternoon off once they'd left.

She'd texted Loki and told him she was leaving work early and not to cook. She needed to stress eat, and that meant comfort food in the form of her favorite take-out. Her roommate had learned quickly enough that take-out bags with a certain logo meant that she was in a bad mood and needed special treatment.

A part of her hated that she was predictable, but they both were. She had her comfort food, and he had his books. She could immediately tell by the cover of the book he was reading when she got home that he'd had an argument with his brother. Family had a way of pushing someone's buttons in a way no one else could do and it seemed to be a universal trait shared by all sentient creatures.

Whenever he'd had a fight with Thor, she'd go straight to the freezer and grab two pints of Ben & Jerry's and join him on the couch for a bitch session. She'd learned more about the King of Asgard from Loki's rants than she ever would reading articles about him on the internet. She knew Loki's view was a bit skewed, but as a lawyer, she'd learned long ago to read between the lines to form her own opinion.

But today was her day to brood. She stopped by the restaurant and picked up the order she'd called in before she left the office, and the aroma wafting from the bags was an instant balm to her frazzled nerves. Just being in the same proximity as the delectable dishes she only allowed herself to eat on the worst of days started to lighten her mood.

"I'm home," she called out as she kicked off her shoes, threw her keys in the bowl by the door, and nudged the door shut with her hip.

"In the dining room," Loki called out.

She wasn't the least bit surprised to find him setting the table with two large glasses of wine, plates, and utensils. 

Depositing the food in the center of the table, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, her hands framing his face in order to keep him still long enough for her to show him how appreciative she was. "You're the best."

"I know," he said with his signature smirk. He finished setting the table and then nodded toward her bedroom. "Go change while I dish this out."

With a sigh of contentment, she turned and headed to her room to change. He must have just finished laundry, because there was a stack of clean clothes on the edge of her bed, and her favorite lounge clothes were still warm from the dryer.

Coming back out looking completely different from the polished lawyer she'd been a few minutes prior, she sat at the table and took a large drink from her wine glass before digging into the food..

"Want to talk about it?" he asked around bites of food.

"Ugly divorce," she told him with a grimace. "You don't want to know the particulars."

"Marriage brings out the worst in people, doesn't it?" Loki asked as he shook his head in disgust.

She rolled her eyes. "Right?" Taking a bite, she thought for a moment. "If I ever get married, I'd like to think I'd at least choose someone I could get along with. It was obvious that these two should have never made it to the second date, let alone the second kid."

"I may be making assumptions based solely on what I've seen portrayed in the media, but it seems as though humans don't bother getting to know one another before they enter into a marriage."

"Oh, you're not making assumptions," she told him with a sardonic laugh. "I've had couples come in for a divorce that had only known one another for a few weeks before getting married. It's ridiculous."

"Do they not know the difference between lust and love?"

YN thought about his question and then realized that he was right. "It's the media, I think. TV shows and movies portray love in the wrong light. It's all passion and—like you said—lust, and people don't realized you can have one without the other."

"What do you think love is, then?"

His face showed genuine interest, so she was shocked by his question. Had she ever even thought about love before? Sure, she'd wondered what her wedding day would be like, and the kind of man she'd like to marry, but she wasn't sure she'd actually sat down and figured out what love meant to her.

"I think there's different types of love," she began as she tried to put her newly minted thoughts into words. "There's the love we feel for our families and friends. We can love our pets with almost the same intensity, but it's more like a parental love. As for real, true love, I don't really know because I've never been in love before." She saw the look of disbelief on his face, so she quickly clarified. "I've had crushes, and I've definitely experienced lust, but love like the great literary minds of the past describe is something I've never experienced. What about you?"

"What about me?"

She laughed and gave him a hard look. "Uh-uh, mister. You don't get off that easy. I answered your question, now it's your turn. What do you think love is?"

He seemed genuinely shocked by her question. For a brief moment she wondered if, like her, he'd never been in love before. But surely she was wrong. He'd lived for hundreds of years—he'd had to have fallen in love at least once in all that time.

"I agree with your original assessment of love," he said after a moment of contemplation. "As for the kind of love my mother and father shared, I've never had the pleasure of experiencing that level of devotion."

"Devotion," she repeated. "That's a good way to describe it."

He tilted his head in confusion.

"Most people think in terms of what someone else can do to make them happy," she explained. "Devotion is the exactly opposite—it's putting someone else's happiness above your own. You're devoted to someone, but it only works if both people feel the same way."

"If one person is completely devoted to their partner, but their partner isn't as devoted to them. . ."

"Then it's not going to work," she finished for him. "Most people think marriage is fifty-fifty, but it's not. It's both parties giving a hundred percent—at least most of the time. Everyone needs a little support every now and then, but one person can't do all the lifting all the time. It's like the couple I had in the office today. He expected her to be completely devoted to him, and she felt the same way about him, but neither one of them was prepared to support the other one when they needed it. They saw it as a burden they weren't responsible for."

He nodded in agreement of her assessment. "Do you ever think you'll fall in love?"

She felt heat wash over her. Why had he asked her that? She'd realized as she was speaking that everything she was describing fit the two of them perfectly, but was it love? She felt something for him, and there were times when she'd secretly wondered if it was love, but wouldn't it make more sense that they were just really good friends?

"I want to fall in love," she finally answered as she studied his reaction to her words. "Don't you?"

A smile spread across his face. "I'd like that very much."

After a brief, awkward silence, they'd changed the subject and finished their meal. They'd gone through the usual routine of arguing over who'd do the dishes that always ended with them both handling their share of the chore. 

He'd grabbed the Ben & Jerry's while she'd chosen a movie to watch until their shows were scheduled to air that night. She'd curled up under a blanket while he'd rubbed her feet, and they'd spent the rest of the evening in a comfortable silence.

As her memory grew closer to the end, she realized that she must have fallen asleep at some point in the evening. She could remember how Grey's Anatomy had started, but she had no idea how it had ended. She looked around her bedroom once more, as the most logical conclusion dawned on her.

Loki must have carried her to bed last night.

She wasn't sure what to think about that, though. It was an extremely sweet gesture on his part, but some part of her wondered if was more than just kindness. 

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she chalked it up to the conversation they'd shared at the dining room table. All that talk of love had gone to her head, and now she was projecting feelings onto actions that were more than likely friendly in nature.

But it was too late to brush aside her thoughts. The seeds had been planted, and now she couldn't help but wonder if the friendship they'd been cultivating for months hadn't slowly morphed into something more.

Since the night Loki had carried her to bed, YN had been hesitant around him. Not so much that he'd noticed, but she'd found herself carefully weighing every word that came out of her mouth lest she say something that could be misconstrued. If she hadn't realized she was in love with him before then, it was painfully obvious to her now. She was terrified of doing something—or saying something—that would alert him to the change in her feelings.

In all of her solitary musings, not once had she allowed herself to consider that he felt the same way. She knew that deep down it was what she wanted, but she'd convinced herself that they were too different to ever make it work. He was a god from another realm, and she was a simple mortal. But even that thought rankled her.

She'd spent the majority of her life bucking the system. From refusing to allow anyone to tell her she couldn't do something because she was girl, to getting into one of the top law schools in the country against every odd, she prided herself on her ability to meet every obstacle in her way with poise and confidence.

But her confidence had decided to take a vacation the past few weeks.

It had even affected her performance at work. She found herself second-guessing every decision, and more than once she'd caught her assistant giving her wary looks when her indecisiveness had threatened to derail a case. It was one thing to be worried about her personal life, but now that her self-confidence issues had migrated to her law practice, she knew she had to take action one way or other. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint Tony Stark. He'd taken a huge risk on her—and on Loki—and she was determined not to let him down.

When she saw the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend, she squared her shoulders and gave herself a rousing pep talk worthy of a college football coach at halftime when his team was down thirty points in the championship game. She was going to put it all on the line and to hell with the consequences.

"It's going to be nice this weekend," she told Loki one evening after work. "There's an outdoor concert at the local park that looks interesting. They usually have food and games, so we could make a day of it."

He gave her a wary look. "You want me to go out into public?"

Her worries over spending a day with Loki took a backseat to his own insecurities. "It's been months since you and Thor came to Earth. And you've signed the Sokovian Accords—you're basically a superhero now."

"I wouldn't go that far," he said with a side-eyed glance in her direction.

"Okay, so maybe you're not a superhero yet, but give it time. I'm sure Tony Stark will have use of your special talents at some point and come calling."

"Now you're really dreaming," he quipped with his signature smirk. "The day Stark asks for my help will be the day the world is about to end."

"Because that hasn't happened at least ten times in as many years."

He couldn't help but laugh at her comment, since he knew she was right. The Earth had seen its fair share of apocalyptic events, but the Avengers always seemed to save the planet just before it all went to hell.

"Okay," he conceded with a sigh. "But the first time someone makes a scene, we're leaving."

She'd been on the defensive when he'd started doubting himself, but now that he'd agreed, the knot in the pit of her stomach returned. It wasn't a big deal—just a small town festival on a pretty summer's day—but it was more significant than that to her. This weekend would be when she finally put her feelings out there for the world to see, and she was scared that she'd be making a fool of herself.

When Saturday rolled around, she was surprised to find Loki already up and dressed with breakfast cooking on the stove.

"What's all this?" she asked.

He fixed their plates and handed them off to her while he poured the coffee. "I did some research while you were at work, and there's a quaint little hiking trail near the river that I thought we could try out before the concert began this afternoon."

"Yeah?"

He nodded as he joined her at the table and began to eat. "It's going to be a lovely day, and I haven't seen much of this area since I've been here."

She wanted to point out that it was his fault he'd stayed locked away in the house, but she decided not to judge and just enjoy the fact that he was ready to venture out of his comfort zone. "That's a good idea. I haven't spend enough time exploring the area since I moved here, either."

He pulled up the trail map on his phone and showed her the route he'd chosen while they finished their breakfast. She was impressed with how much time and effort he'd put into the day's adventure, and she found herself eager to see how their dynamic changed once they were out of their little cocoon.

Since he was already dressed and ready to go, he sent her to get ready while he cleaned up the kitchen. For once, she didn't argue with him and did as he asked.

The trail he'd chosen started at the town park and wove its way through the small copse of woods down to the rivers edge. From there, it continued weaving in and out of the trees along the bank giving them a nice balance of scenery.

"It's so beautiful out here," she said when they'd ventured back into the woods. There were birds chirping in the trees and butterflies flitting about as they searched for flowers.

"I've always thought Asgard was the most beautiful place in the universe, but I can see why Midgardians are so protective of their home."

She looked over at him and couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. He'd pulled his long, black hair up into a bun at the nape of his neck, and he was wearing a pair of dark cargo pants with a form-fitting black tee that left nothing to the imagination. She'd seen him dressed similarly in the house, but it was different now that they were outside. For a moment she wondered if anyone would even recognize the man beside her as the God of Mischief that had threatened to take over the world so many years ago.

"Are you happy here, then?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He turned and met her gaze as a indecipherable expression passed over his handsome face. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited to see what his response would be.

"I didn't expect to be," he replied honestly. "But I've found that I've had to reassess my original opinions."

"Do you think Tony will ever ask you to move back into the Compound with the others?"

His eyebrows drew together as he studied her. "Do you wish for me to leave?"

Her heart plummeted. That was the last thing she wanted, but how could she tell him that without baring her entire soul to him? She'd known she wanted to broach the topic of her changing feelings while they were out, but she hadn't expected to be faced with the prospect so soon in the day.

"No," she replied as she dropped her head. "I like having you as my roommate."

"Is that all?"

Her gaze shot to his and she knew her feelings were plainly written all over her face, but his question was giving her a sense of hope that she'd dared not even consider. She searched his eyes for any hint that he might possibly share her feelings, but as always, his face gave no clue to his emotions.

With a burst of confidence that surprised even herself, she reached out and laid a hand along the side of his face. "That's not all."

His carefully constructed façade began to falter and he took a tentative step toward her. "You're the only friend I have on this planet. . ."

"Our friendship is pretty special." She smiled at him as she waited to see what he'd say next.

She felt his hands on her hips and her heart began to race. If he'd been any other man, she'd have already kissed him, but for the first time since they'd known one another she was painfully aware of the differences between them.

"I wouldn't want to jeopardize that, would you?

She thought about his comment for a moment. He was giving her an out if she wanted it, but now that it was all on the line, she realized she didn't want to play it safe anymore.

"Some of the best relationships start out as friendships, you know," she told him as she mustered up every ounce of confidence within her and leaned in to brush her lips across his.

The sharp intake of breath he took emboldened her and she adjusted the angle of her head and tentatively deepened the kiss. When his fingers flexed on her hips and gently pulled her closer to him, she willingly allowed herself to be swept away. She'd begun the kiss, but within the span of a few seconds, he'd taken complete control. Sliding her arms around his neck, she pulled at the tie that bound his hair and relished in the feel of the dark tresses sliding between her fingers.

She had no idea how long they stood in their passionate embrace in the middle of the woods, but when they finally came up for air, she felt like her entire world had been turned upside down. His eyes were dark with desire, and she could see her own mirrored in his as they gazed at one another in wonder.

"I've wanted to do that for weeks," he admitted with a tentative smile.

She lightly ran her fingernails along his scalp as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Me too."

"We're quite the pair, aren't we?"

Tilting her head, she thought for a moment. "I think it shows how much we value our friendship that neither one of us wanted to rush this."

"Do you?"

She shrugged and averted her gaze. "If it was merely lust. . ."

"If not lust, then what?" he interrupted as he waited for her eyes to meet his again.

"Then it's something more," she said, evading the other four-lettered L word. She might have been confident enough to kiss him, but she was drawing the line there for the day. She'd see how things progressed from this point before she'd be willing to present her heart to him on a silver platter.

"Something more," he repeated with a nod. "I can live with that."

A part of her wanted to kiss him again, but she didn't quite have the nerve for that just yet. This was still so fresh—so new—and she didn't want to chance ruining it before it even had a chance to start.

"We should probably head back to the park," she told him with a sad smile. "The concert will be starting soon."

"And we wouldn't want to miss that," he agreed as he began untangling their limbs.

They turned and began walking back they way they'd come, but YN felt like there was something missing. Drawing on her last reserve of confidence, she reached out and brushed her fingers against his. She saw him glance down at her hand before interlacing his fingers with hers. Their eyes met briefly as they smiled at one another. Their relationship had hit a major turning point, and even though she had no idea what this would mean for them going forward, she was confident that as long as they were on the same page, it would all work out in the end.

YN was in a frenzy. Thor was coming over for dinner and she and Loki had decided to tell him that they were officially dating. She knew it wasn't that big of a deal, but for some reason it seemed like it to her.

Since the day of the concert when they'd kissed in the woods, their relationship had drastically changed—for the better. They were still a bit awkward around one another, but in all fairness, their situation wasn't exactly normal. Most couples didn't start out as roommates, but there had been at least one couple that had, and they were doing just fine. YN reminded herself that William and Kate had made the odd living arrangement work and they'd had other roommates to deal with. She and Loki had the house to themselves, so there was need to sneak around and hide the fact that they'd taken their friendship to the next level.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked as he walked into the kitchen and found it to be a complete disaster.

YN spun around in shock and almost dropped the measuring cup of flour in her hands. "You scared me half to death." Her face split into a wide grin as she leaned over and quickly kissed him. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact that she now had the privilege of kissing him whenever she wanted.

"You didn't answer my question," he reminded her as he began to fully take in the scene before him. The stand mixer was whirring gently as YN added another cup of flour to the sweet-smelling batter. It appeared as if every mixing bowl and measuring cup was either on the counter or in the sink, and various ingredients were haphazardly spaced amongst the jars of flour and sugar.

Her eyes followed him around the kitchen and she immediately became aware of the mess she'd created. With a shrug, she answered his question. "I'm baking a cake."

"Why?" 

"Did you forget that your brother is coming over for dinner tonight?" she asked with a panicked look on her face. "We were going to tell him about. . ." She paused for a moment and gestured to the two of them. ". . .us."

A slow, sultry grin spread across his face as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "You're adorable when you're nervous."

"You're not helping."

He leaned in and kissed her flour-coated forehead. "I'm not, am I? What can I do?"

YN looked around the kitchen and sighed. "I'm not usually like this."

"Like what?"

She gestured to the mess before them. "This. I'm usually organized in the kitchen."

"I know," he agreed. "But you're nervous." He grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger and forced her to meet his gaze. "And you shouldn't be. Thor adores you. . .and you're cooking. The fastest way to his heart is through his stomach, so you don't have to worry about a thing if that cake tastes as good as it smells."

She let out a relieved breath. "You're right. I'm overreacting, but this is a big step for us." She looked back at the batter still mixing in the stainless steel bowl. "And if I don't want to screw this cake up, I need to get it in the oven soon."

"What kind is it?" he asked as he leaned over the mixer and peered into the bowl.

She flipped the switch and unhooked the mixing attachment before lifting the bowl and pouring the batter into the already prepared bundt pan. "It's an old family recipe for pound cake. I picked up some fresh strawberries and whipped cream to make Strawberry Shortcakes. I know you're technically supposed to use to sponge cake, but I like it better with pound cake."

"It sounds delicious," Loki said as he pulled down the oven door so she could place the filled pan on the rack. He stopped for a moment and gave her a wary look. "I don't want to cause a panic, but you do realize that this oven hasn't been preheated?"

She closed the oven door and began programming the temperature and timer. "It's not supposed to be. This recipe calls for a cold oven to begin with." She gave him a little smirk. "I know it may not seem like it, but I've made this cake before, and it always comes out perfect. Trust me."

He took a long breath and reached for her again. Knowing that he could pull her into his arms at any moment was a pleasure he didn't deny himself often, and since she was always so willing to be in his embrace, it made him want to hold her that much more.

"I do trust you," he said as he leaned in and kissed her lightly.

The feel of his lips against hers had desire building up within her. They'd both decided to take things slow, so they hadn't moved past the silly teenage-making-out phase, but it was beginning to drive YN crazy. A part of her wanted to savor the innocence of their new relationship, but the other—more carnal—part of her wanted to finally know how his hands would feel on her bare skin. So far, innocence had won out, but with each day that passed, it became harder to push down her ever-growing passion.

Loki was also feeling the same primal urges, but like her, he was tamping down his desires so they wouldn't rush in and ruin the seductive game they were playing with one another. He enjoyed the teasing seduction, but for some reason that morning, he'd begun to grow impatient.

Without a thought to the consequences, he slid his hands down her back and gripped her hips as he lifted her to sit on the edge of the counter. He heard the sound of measuring cups hitting the floor, but he couldn't be bothered to care once she'd wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him flush against her.

The moan that rose up from within her was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard and he deepened the kiss even more in the hopes of hearing it again. His hands freely roamed over her back and shoulders as she buried her hands in his hair to keep his mouth firmly locked with hers.

They lost track of time as their passionate embrace threaten to overtake their senses, but when the oven dinged to indicate that it had reached the programmed temperature, they pulled away with a start. Their arms were still firmly wrapped around one another so the pounding of their hearts beneath their chests could be felt by both of them.

"As much as I'd love to continue this. . ." he began with a self-satisfied smirk.

"We should probably get this kitchen cleaned up before Thor gets here?" she finished for him before he could say something risqué.

He nodded and narrowed his eyes. "You're sitting in flour."

She turned and looked behind her as she began to nod. "Yes. Yes, I am." He looked back at him with a wicked smile. "How did that happen?"

He shrugged and gave her an innocent look. "I couldn't say. Maybe if you weren't such a messy baker. . ."

She didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence before grabbing a handful of flour and tossing it in his face. When she saw the look of shock distorting his handsome features, she burst out laughing.

While one hand wiped the white powder from his eyes, the other grabbed a handful of flour and returned the gesture. 

She howled with laughter as she wiggled from his grasp and dropped to the floor. Grabbing the jar of flour, she began to pelt him with handfuls while he had to resort to scooping up what had been left on the counter.

Realizing that he would ultimately lose, he did the only thing possible—he grabbed the jar from her and spun her around so that he had her arms pinned against her sides. "You're a minx."

"You love me," she teased without realizing what she was saying.

Immediately, he froze, and felt her tense up as well. He knew he only had two options at this point—he could either play her words off as a joke, or finally address the one issue that had been holding them back the past few weeks. In a split second, he knew exactly which course of action he wanted to take.

Loosening his grip, he turned her so that she was facing him again. As he searched her eyes for the answers he was looking for, he brought his hands up to lightly frame her face. When he saw his feelings for her reflected in her eyes, he knew he was making the right choice.

"I do love you, YN," he said with as much sincerity as he could muster while covered from head to toe in flour. "I've been in love with you from the moment I met you. Your fiery nature captivated me, and when I first touched you, I felt something come alive within me that I'd long thought dead."

YN took in his impassioned confession as she thought about the moment he was talking about. When they'd initially shook hands to seal their agreement to be roommates, she'd felt the exact same way about him that he'd apparently felt about her. She couldn't help but wonder if Fate had meant for them to find one another. It didn't matter, though. They were together and that was the most important thing.

"I love you, too, Loki." She smiled when she saw the look of relief in his eyes. For all of his bravado, he was just a susceptible to being hurt as any other person, and for some reason, she loved him even more for that.

He shook his head and glanced around the kitchen. "I hadn't planned on telling you like this."

"Oh, no?"

With a sigh he began to wipe away the traces of flour on her face. "No. I'd hoped to do it over a romantic dinner."

"But isn't this better?" she asked as he started to brush flour off of one of his shoulders. 

He thought about her question and realized that she was right. They didn't need grand gestures—it wasn't who they were. They were the couple who were content to sit on the couch and watch TV together. They were the couple that didn't mind sharing the household chores. They'd become a couple long before either one of them had realized it, so it seemed fitting that their declarations of love would happen in the home they shared.

YN realized in that moment that it didn't matter if Thor or the other Avengers approved of her relationship with Loki. She loved him, and he loved her, and that was all that mattered. With a sense of peace that she hadn't known she'd been searching for, they began to clean up the mess they'd made. It was a simple thing, but somehow she knew that this was what life would always be like for them—taking care of one another and cleaning up the messes Fate brought their way together.

Loki had volunteered to clean up the kitchen while YN put the finishing touches on dinner. There was flour spread from one end of the tiled room to the other, so she was more than happy to peel and cut carrots and potatoes while he swept and mopped the floors.

Knowing Thor's voracious appetite, she'd opted to make a pot roast for him and another one for her and Loki. The meat had been in the crockpot since early that morning to slow cook all day and also to free up the oven for her pound cake. 

"Thor likes pot roast, right?" YN asked again as her nerves made a sudden reappearance.

Loki sighed and shook his head. "He'll eat just about anything, so I'm sure he'll adore whatever it is you have simmering in the crockpot."

"You liked my pot roast the last time I made it," she mused aloud as she continued chopping carrots to add to the roast. "You ate half of it before you even touched the other sides."

He turned off the steam mop and walked up behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned his chin on her shoulder. "It was delicious. And so were the other dishes once I got around to sampling them."

YN put down the knife and turned around so she was facing him. She was about to thank him, but she noticed he was still covered in flour, which meant she was most likely still covered in flour.

She sighed. "We're both going to need another shower today."

He brushed a smear of flour off her cheek and nodded his agreement. "Thor probably wouldn't even notice, but I know you will."

Glancing around the kitchen, she realized that he'd already finished cleaning up the mess. "You didn't put a glamour on this kitchen, did you?"

"Me?" he asked as his face morphed into one of supreme innocence. "Never."

Her gaze narrowed menacingly. "Loki."

He place a hand over his heart. "I promise I did not." He looked over her shoulder at the pile of vegetables still waiting to be chopped and put in with the roasts. "What else can I do to help?"

"I still need to shred the cabbage for the cole slaw, but I know you hate the food processor," she said as she mentally catalogued all the tasks that still needed to be taken care of. "Why don't you finish the potatoes and carrots while I do that. We can clean up once that's done and then the corn bread can wait until right before dinner to go in the oven"

"Perfect," he said as he kissed her forehead and took her place at the cutting board. Together they had the rest of the prep work finished and they had plenty of time to grab another shower before Loki's brother showed up for dinner.

YN knew from prior encounters with the God of Thunder that when it came to food, he was extremely punctual, so when the doorbell rang exactly at six o'clock, she wasn't the least bit surprised. 

"I'll get the door," Loki said as YN pulled the corn bread from the oven and placed it on a cooling rack.

Thor's booming voice filled the house as Loki led him back to the kitchen. "Something smells amazing."

"I made a pot roast," YN said with a smile as she began transferring dishes to the dining room table.

"Rogers made one of those one time," Thor said as his face scrunched up in disgust. "It was the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten. The poor man boiled the damn thing to death and it was as tough as leather." He saw the look of horror on YN's face and felt the need to reassure her. "Your's smells a hundred times better than Rogers', so I'm sure it'll melt like butter on my tongue."

"I can assure you that it will, brother," Loki said as he gestured for Thor to take a seat.

The three of them all sat and began filling their plates with food. 

YN was anxiously awaiting the verdict on her cooking, but Thor was halfway through his pot roast before he came up for air to say a word.

"There are no words to describe how happy I am at this moment," he mumbled around a large bite of beef.

"You like it?" YN asked as she felt a sense of relief wash over her.

Thor pointed a fork at Loki. "If you don't marry this woman, I might have to."

Loki's face paled a bit as he cast a nervous glance at YN. "It's funny you should mention that. . ."

"Oh, so you two are getting married." Thor's face split into a wide grin as he reached out and squeezed both of their shoulders. "I couldn't be happier for you both."

"We're not getting married," YN squeaked out. "We've just started dating."

Loki nodded. "That's why we asked you here today—to tell you."

"What are you talking about? The two of you have been courting one another for months now." Thor stared at both of them in disbelief before he burst out laughing. 

"I don't see how this is amusing," Loki deadpanned as he glared at his brother.

"I told Stark the first day the two of you were already in love," Thor said once his fit of laughter had died away. "I didn't realize that I needed to tell you two, as well."

"So, you're okay with this?" YN asked hesitantly.

"Okay? I'm more than okay." He slapped his brother on the back causing Loki to pitch forward and brace himself against he table to keep from face-planting into his dinner. "I think it's wonderful." He sat back with a proud look on his face and crossed his arms over his chest before lifting one hand to point at Loki. "Remember what you told me before Thanos' ship attacked ours after Asgard was destroyed?" He didn't wait for Loki to respond. "You said, 'We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game.'"

"And then Thanos murdered half of our people," Loki reminded him with a half smile.

"He did," Thor admitted with a pained smile. "But I told you the sun would shine on us again." He held out his arms toward Loki and YN. "And look—it is." He picked up his fork and began eating again. "So, what's for dessert?"

"Well, that didn't go the way I thought it was going to," YN said as she and Loki cleaned up the kitchen after Thor had left.

Loki chuckled. "No, it did not."

"You do realize that all the Avengers think we've been sleeping together since you moved in."

He considered her assumption but had no response.

"It's probably why Tony Stark was so willing to help me out with my law firm," she mused aloud as she absentmindedly scrubbed the ceramic crockpot insert. "He wasn't just doing a favor for your roommate—he was doing a favor for your girlfriend."

Loki took the soapy dish from her and began rinsing it off. "Does that bother you?"

She shook her head. "I guess not, but it does make me wonder a bit."

"About what?"

She stopped washing and turned to look at him. "Thor's known you your entire life, right?" She waited for Loki to nod. "Okay, so that means he knows a lot about how you act with women."

Loki placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "They weren't you."

"I know that," she sighed. "But you have to admit. . ."

"It doesn't speak well of me," he finished before she had a chance to. He took a deep breath. "That was a different life on a different world. I'm not the same man I was before I came to Midgard."

"What changed?"

He saw the worry in her eyes and tried to find a way to explain it to her that would make sense. "For most of my life, I thought I was one thing, and then I found out in the harshest way possible that I was not. Not only did I uncover my father's lies, but I also discovered that I was a descendant of our greatest enemies."

Letting down his glamour, he showed her his true self for a brief moment. "This is the face of everything Asgard hates."

She placed a hand along his blue-tinted jaw. "I don't hate it."

"But others would," he countered before his glamour returned. "When I thought I was an Asgardian, I behaved as such."

"And when you realized you weren't?"

He squared his shoulders and did his best to mask his pain. "I became the monster they all thought I was."

She nodded her head in understanding as she left the pile of dishes in the sink and took his hand to lead him to the couch. "And now? Here on Earth? There are those that think you're still the monster, but that's not what I see."

"I came here prepared to deal with more hatred, but then I met you." One hand reached out to caress her cheek. "You showed me that being different didn't mean being hated."

"I wish I could tell you that everyone on this planet felt the same way as I do, but sadly that's not the case."

Loki nodded. "I've seen the news, which is why I still hide behind my glamour. The world already hates me for being the God of Mischief—I don't need to give them another reason to hate me further."

She couldn't argue with his reasoning and that thought saddened her, but it still didn't answer her original question. "I get all that, but. . ."

"To quote that one movie you made me watch a while back—'You make me want to be a better man,'"

"_As Good as it Gets_," YN said as she finally understood what he'd been trying to tell her.

"I was scared," he admitted. "When I first found out I was Of Jötunheim, and then when I came here. But like you, Thor never saw me as different—he just wanted me to be his brother." He smiled as he exhaled softly. "It's been enjoyable not being at odds with him—reminds me of when we were children."

"Without all the stabbing of course," she added as she remembered a few stories he'd told her of his childhood with Thor.

"Of course," he said with a wink. "But it's always a possibility."

"Always," she agreed with a solemn nod before she started laughing. She took a deep breath and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "I'm glad that you don't feel like you have to pretend around me."

"As am I," he agreed.

She looked back over her shoulder at the mountain of dishes that still needed to be dealt with. "I guess we should finish cleaning up the kitchen, huh?"

"I have a better idea," he said as he shifted on the couch so that his knees were beneath him. Reaching out, he placed a hand on YN's back to gently lay her down on the couch. Lowering himself on top of her, he captured her mouth with his. As her arms wound around his neck, he knew all thoughts of dirty dishes would be the last thing on her mind for quite some time.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 248 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! This prompt gave me pause for a moment as I thought about all the different ways this could go wrong in the real world. Thankfully, we have a lovable God of Mischief who just so happens to have blue skin. . .some of the time! Do you agree that Loki's actions after the first Thor movie could possibly stem from the fact that he was just trying to live up to his true heritage. I remember that scene with him and Odin and the look of utter anguish on his face. Finding out his true parentage broke Loki in a way and it's my headcanon that it's the reason why he never lets Thor get close to him anymore. Or at least until after Thor: Ragnarök. (Thank you Taika!) What do you think? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

The first thing YN did when she walked through the door was slip off the heels that had been killing her feet all day long. "Loki, I'm. . ." Her words died on her lips and were replaced with a moan as a pair of lean hands began sliding up her body. Every one of her nerve endings were set on fire as his long fingers placed pressure in all the right spots.

"I've missed you," Loki whispered against her ear as he pressed himself firmly against the length of her back.

Leaning into him, she twisted her head around so that she could meet his searching lips. Ever since they'd finally given in to their desires, they'd been insatiable for one another. It killed her to leave their bed every morning to go to work, but knowing what was waiting for her when she got home made the hours away bearable.

He turned her around and pressed her back against the door as his mouth left her lips to explore the tender flesh under her jaw. She buried her hands in his hair and threw her head back to give him better access to the sensitive skin.

When he pulled away, she whimpered like a child that had just had her favorite toy snatched away. "Don't stop."

He chuckled lightly as he grabbed her hands and pulled her toward the kitchen. "There'll be time for that later. Right now, dinner is getting cold."

"I don't need food," she protested with a pout.

His fingers reached out to play with the waistband of her skirt. "You'll need the energy for what I have planned for you later."

She gave him a sultry smile. "Promises, promises."

Stealing one last kiss, he guided her toward her seat and made sure she was comfortable before walking around to his side of the table. "I know you're hungry, so eat."

"This looks wonderful," she said as she surveyed the spread of food laid out before her. He'd made all her favorite dishes and for the millionth time since he'd moved in, she thanked whomever was listening for letting Thor find her ad for a roommate.

As they filled their plates, he asked about her day. There wasn't much to tell since it had been a slow, but long day, upholding the law. She'd been in meetings all day with clients and had to proofread a few briefs her law clerks had submitted for review. 

In turn, he'd told her about his day accompanying Thor on a short mission to South America. He'd been slowly taking a more active role in the hero business his brother so enjoyed and surprisingly, he'd found that he enjoyed it.

"You went to South America today?" she asked before grabbing her glass of wine and taking a sip.

"It was a simple matter of taking down a drug lord and rescuing some hostages," he assured her. "I was home before Ellen came on."

She couldn't help but laugh. It didn't matter what she and Loki talked about, he always found a way to make her smile and she loved him for that.

"How was Stark today?" She knew there was still some bad blood between the two of them, but they were both working on resolving the differences.

"He was uncharacteristically pleasant today," Loki told her. "He even went so far as to thank me for offering my assistance."

Her curiosity was piqued as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "What did you do? Shapeshift into the drug lord and convince the guards to let the hostages go while Thor and Stark took out the real drug lord?"

"Am I that predictable?" he asked as his jubilance deflated.

"No," she quickly assured him as she reached out to lay a hand over his. "It's just the smartest strategy." She shrugged. "Stark would be a fool not to utilize your best talents."

Momentarily appeased, his smile returned. "I do possess a certain je ne sais quoi."

"Ooo, look at you learning French."

"It's a beautiful language, and an even more beautiful country," he said. "Perhaps we should go sometime."

She gave him a huge smile. "You want to take me to Paris? Um, yes."

He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "Then it's settled. Clear your schedule and we'll leave as soon as you're ready."

"And how are we supposed to pay for this impromptu trip to France?" she asked with a dubious look on her face.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that I'm now on the Avengers' payroll?"

She held up a hand to stop him from saying anything further. "Okay, first of all, that's the most American thing I think I've ever heard you say." She shook her head as she tried to hold back a laugh. "And secondly—no, you did not tell me that you've officially been named an Avenger."

He didn't say anything, but instead raised one eyebrow and waited for her to put the pieces together.

"Oh," she said after a few moments. "That's what this is." Her hands flew to her mouth as she stifled a gasp of surprise. "Congratulations. I'm so happy for you."

"I'm happy as well—oddly enough."

"You should be," she assured him. "This is just what you need to help the world see the man I see everyday." A sudden thought came to her mind. "Is there going to a press conference with an official announcement?"

He nodded his head. "Tomorrow at noon."

She thought about what her schedule looked like for the next day. "I can move some things around. . ."

"You don't have to be there."

"Are you kidding me? Of course I'm going to be there."

She didn't let him say another word about the possibility of missing the momentous occasion. This was something she'd wished for him for as long as she'd known him. She knew his heart, and she knew he was so much more than the mischievous brother of one of the most popular superheroes on the planet.

Instead of arguing with her, he changed the subject and decided that seducing her would be the easiest way to get her to forget about his impending press conference the next day. Not one to complain about being seduced, she was more than happy to let him tease and torment her while they cleaned up the dishes before he finally took her back to their bed.

Being with Loki was everything she'd ever thought it would be and more. She loved the fact that he brought his sense of humor—as well as his sense of adventure—into the bedroom, and each time they were together was a completely different experience than all the previous ones. It amazed her that he continually surprised her since the rest of their life together would be considered dull and monotonous to anyone else.

As she lie in his arms with the light of the moon filtering in through the curtains, she lovingly gazed at his elegant profile. She knew she could look at him every single day for the rest of her life and not grow tired of seeing his beautiful face.

He turned to her and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered back to him.

It was just another one of their routines, but she wasn't complaining. There was a simple comfort in knowing that the last words she heard every night were a declaration of his love for her, and vice versa. There might be some people that wouldn't understand why it meant so much to her, but she knew that since they'd started their little tradition, she'd never slept better in her entire life.

** _~ The End ~_ **

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 291 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Wasn't this just the sweetest ending? I loved that they still held onto their traditions even as their relationship shifted from friends to lovers. What do you think about Loki becoming an official Avenger? Do you think it would ever happen in the canon universe? I truly doubt it, but it's fun to think about! And what about Paris? Wouldn't it be so romantic to visit the City of Love with Loki? I guess we'll just have to use our imaginations for that vacation! I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_


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